Page:Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World in the Years 1791–95, volume 1.djvu/512

432 but wc had no opportunity of afirrtnining that fa6}, nor is it of nny importance to the navigation, as the main channel aj)pc'anil to he IVoc IVom any ohlhiution, and is of fulHci( iit v'i(hh for ihi- larj^cll vclfcls to turn in. Its northern lliorc, compofcd of high lU-ep rocky chHs, is the bohielt ; the fouthorn fide is much lower, though iis foutli-eadern point is formed of fleep rocky chlTs, from the bad' of vh'ch a tra8 of fandy country commences, cxteivhug not only along the fouthern fliore of the channel, and fonie dillance along the exteiior coad to the fouth- ward, but likcw'fe to a conliderable height on the more elevated land that borders thereon ; and interfpcrled with huge malfy rocks of dif- ferent fi/es, which, with the I'arellones, render this point too confpicu- ous to be miUaken. Having palled the iniur |)oints of entrance, we found ourfelvcs in a very fpacit)us found, which had the appearance of containing a variety of as excellent harbours as the known world affords. The Spanifli clhd)lifhment being on the fouthern fide of the port, our courfe was direflcd along that fhore, with regular foundings irom 9 to 13 fathoms. Several perfons were now feen on foot and on horleback coming to the s.E. point above mentioned ; from whence two guns were fired, and anfwered by us, agreeably to the fignal ellablifhed between Sen' Quadra and myfelf. As the night foon doled in, a fire was jnade on the beach, and other guns were fired; but as we did not underlhuid their meaning, and as the foundings continued regular, we fleered up the port, imder an eafy fail, in conllant expectation of feeing the lights of the town, off which I purpofed to anchor : but as thefe were not difeoverable at eight at night, and being then in a fnug cove, intircly land-locked, with 6 fa- thoms water and a clear bottom, we anchored to wait the return of dav.